Deeds Office property scam claims prime scalp in Pretoria

The suspension of Pogiso Mesefo, the registrar of the Deeds Office in Pretoria, has been confirmed by the Department of Rural Development and Land Reform.

The Deeds Office in Pretoria has been in the spotlight over the fraudulent transfer of 33 properties owned by the Johannesburg Property Company (JPC) and the alleged fraudulent transfer of a further 30 or so properties owned by the Tshwane Metro and the North West Housing Corporation (NWHC).

Eddie Mohoebi, the head of communications at the department, confirmed that Mesefo had been suspended by the department on July 12, but declined to comment on the reasons other than saying "this is part of the investigation".

Mohoebi said the charges Mesefo was facing were also "part of the investigation".

He did not respond to a question on whether Mesefo was facing an internal disciplinary inquiry or criminal charges, or both, stressing the process to be followed would be finalised after the investigation had been completed.

He said it was unknown how long it would take to complete the investigation.

He also declined to comment on what action was being taken against Edmund Sibisi, the deputy registrar, who facilitated the fraudulent transfer of 33 properties owned by the JPC, or whether Edwin Maphosa, an assistant registrar, had also been suspended.

Business Report reported on Thursday last week that Mesefo and Maphosa were believed to have been suspended.

Sibisi is believed to have returned to work after taking paid leave.

The department confirmed that Sibisi had applied for leave, which had been granted.

The department failed to provide any information on most of the questions posed by Business Report, including whether Sibisi and/or Maphosa had become state witnesses in the investigation into irregular and fraudulent property transfers by the Deeds Office in Pretoria.

The Hawks, the elite police crime-fighting unit, is investigating the irregular and fraudulent transfer of state-owned properties to private companies by the office.

According to the minutes of a meeting between chief registrar of deeds Sam Lefafa and representatives from the Tshwane Metro and NWHC, Lefafa believed "extra precautionary measures" must be put in place to prevent and/or curb "such illegal transactions". He recommended that the Hawks be requested to investigate the fraudulent transfer of all municipal-owned properties.

Lefafa added: "The City of Tshwane and the Deeds Office (are) currently under siege with all the fraudulent transfers of municipal-owned properties despite caveats and/or pre-emptive conditions being noted against such properties."

The JPC has obtained a high court interdict to prevent further trading in the 33 properties and it has also launched a civil court application to retransfer ownership of these properties back to the municipal-owned company.

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